Very large – perfect for rearing large Hawkmoth and Silkmoth larvae. Suitable for storing bulky cocoons – and a lot of other things – entomological and non entomological. Suitable for displaying larger natural history specimens, skulls, etc.

A complete outfit for rearing silkworms from egg to cocoon, and reeling your own raw silk. Everything is provided: a small batch of eggs, food for the entire life of 20 silkworms, all the rearing equipment, detailed educational documentation and instructions, and a miniature reeling device.

There is even a small bag of cocoons so that you can practise reeling, and don't have to wait to rear the cocoons from the egg.

Normally Silkworms feed on Mulberry leaves. This is an uncommon tree that is not always readily available, so we are providing a substitute food, which is a powder that comes with the necessary instructions for preparing the artificial diet in the kitchen. You will have a supply of fresh food always available for the silkworms throughout their life of about a month.

The Mini Silk Farm can be bought at any time of the year. The eggs are stored in a fridge until incubation. Although rearing in summer is easier because of temperature, you can rear silkworms almost throughout the year, if you can keep them at about 25º-28ºC. Eggs supplied in winter will need to be refrigerated for 8-12 weeks before incubation.

The instructions guide you through easy rearing, preparation of the artificial diet and the reeling process. The Mini Silk Farm is fun and unusually educational.

The butterflies fly from May into June. Eggs are laid in large clusters on the underside of Devil’s Bit Scabious.The larvae Feed on Honeysuckle (wild is best), Snowberry or the natural foodplant Devil’s Bit Scabious. The larvae live in a tightly formed web, growing only a little before they hibernate in autumn.

Both larvae and pupae are masters of camouflage. Quick growing, the larvae feed on Buckthorns Rhamnus catharticus or Frangula alnus. There are no substitutes, so locate some bushes in advance.

Resulting pupae produce butterflies this summer. They hibernate amongst ivy (when closed, the wings resemble ivy leaf undersides). They are difficult to hibernate in captivity so, by releasing the butterflies in summer sunshine, you may help to perpetuate the species each spring in your area.

The pupa is a remarkable and lovely shape. The butterflies hatch easily. Difficult to hibernate, but you can keep them for a while with fresh nectar flowers, and then release to hibernate and hopefully breed in your area.

Resulting pupae produce butterflies this summer. They hibernate amongst ivy (when closed, the wings resemble ivy leaf undersides). They are difficult to hibernate in captivity so, by releasing the butterflies in summer sunshine, you may help to perpetuate the species each spring in your area.

Suddenly this species has become scarce, in a very short time, though last season showed some recovery, there are very few to be seen this summer. The butterflies emerge in a little over two weeks, dependent on temperature.

The butterflies can be kept in a cage for a few days, with plenty of flowers for nectar, and then released to help the wild populations.

A scarce species, difficult to obtain. Foodplant Violet leaves. These eggs will hibernate until mid to late winter, when you need to be ready with potted violet. Enclose the larvae on potted plants and protect from predators. Butterflies are produced next summer.